


The Teacher's Wife

by EquinoxSolstice



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eren Has Anger Issues, Eren and Levi are Married, French Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), German Eren Yeager, High School Student Eren Yeager, Hijinks & Shenanigans, M/M, Married Couple, Past Violence, Secret Relationship, Sneaking Around, Teacher Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-14
Updated: 2015-11-06
Packaged: 2018-04-26 09:42:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4999960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EquinoxSolstice/pseuds/EquinoxSolstice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the first day of a new semester, high school student Eren Jaeger was ready to take on senior life again. Delayed for three years, this was his last chance for his future, and Eren couldn't afford to, pardon his French, fuck anything up.</p><p>One year. Ten months. Eren could do this. He had his friends, even though small in number, and his family had his back. No matter what, this time around, Eren would finally graduate.</p><p>Until his homeroom teacher stepped inside the classroom.</p><p>Eren fell off from his chair in literal shock, jaw threatening to unhinge from his skull.</p><p> <em>What the hell was his husband doing here?! </em></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

What woke him up that morning weren’t the weak streams of sunlight through his eyelids, or the persistent shrill of the alarm clock that he needed to set up if he wanted to keep his attendance record spotless.

It was the slow hum of his husband’s voice, deep and soothing, whispering softly and tenderly in his ear. Despite himself he smiled slightly and curled further into the warm covers, not opening his eyes, wanting to hear the sound of his voice just a little bit longer.

“Give me,” he yawned, “five minutes.” Sleep was dragging him back in but his husband was insistent, and something would have to give eventually.

“I know you’re awake.” It was his beloved’s voice again, murmuring lowly, lips brushing against the shell of his ear. He could feel the line of the other’s warm body behind his back, hovering over him, a tanned arm reaching over and making a dip in the bed at his other side, caging him in place. “ _Reveille-toi_ , Eren.” Lips attached themselves to his ear, teeth lightly nipping at the helix, and he jumped at the unexpected touch, aquamarine green eyes finally making their appearance in the world as he turned to the other side to see his husband’s smirking and unrepentant face.

“… That’s cheating.” He accused lightly, smiling more widely now as he reached up a hand to cup his husband’s face. “You’re unfair.” And yet, he reached up to plant a kiss on those awaiting lips, feeling the other submit, head lowering down as he sank back on the comfortable pillows.

A rare smile played out on Levi Ackerman’s lips as he pulled away, but still close enough to feel their breaths mingling together. “It’s the first day and I don’t want us to be late. _Both_ of us.” His spouse took the liberty of reminding him with another suffocating kiss, this time with an almost playful nip at his bottom lip that had the faintest pink coloring splashing on his skin. “So wake up, we still need to shower and have breakfast.” His husband murmured against his lips and before Eren knew it Levi was already moving, throwing the covers off their bodies and sliding off the bed.

Eren yawned and stretched, scratching lightly at his stomach as he glanced at their bedside clock. He groaned. “ _Gott_ Levi, it’s six in the morning.”

“Never too early to start the day,” was the older man’s flippant response, voice already resonating in their bathroom, and Eren was starting to seriously think about his decision in marrying the man.

But Levi was more than just an early riser who deprived Eren of another good night’s sleep. He was Eren’s husband, his soulmate, and Eren knew in his bones that Levi was definitely The One.

Getting married at the age of 20 when his spouse was ten years older was honestly shocking, maybe even a little disturbing, but Eren didn’t care. Neither did Levi. Their parents did, a little, especially Eren’s mom who was more concerned about Eren’s future than the marriage itself, but Eren was an adult who could make his own decisions, and who were they, to stop their son’s happiness that was clearly with the older man?

Eren glanced at the wedding photo framed at their bedroom wall and had to smile. Nope, not regretting it in the least.

Doing his early morning routine was quick, and Eren stumbled out of the bathroom, body damp, scent fresh, and just a bit more awake, but only just. His uniform was already laid out for him on the bed, pressed cleanly and just waiting to be put on, and it made Eren’s heart melt, to see this kind of care from the other man. Levi looked so stoic, so cold sometimes, and it was easy to misunderstand him. Eren knew him, maybe not as well as other people he knew, but he intended to know every single thing about his husband during the rest of their forever.

Underwear. Slacks, socks, leather shoes. Black belt. White collar button-up, tucked in. Necktie, vest, blazer. Wedding ring slid through fourth finger of the right hand. Combing through his hair Eren took a brief glance at his refection in the mirror before heading downstairs for breakfast. The scent of butter wafted around the room and it made his mouth water.

Levi was already dressed, button up shirt folded up to his elbows, tie knotted in place, covered by a plain blue apron. It had been a while since Eren saw him in office attire and damn it, he was _hot_. If Eren didn’t know that Levi was already his, he would’ve demanded that Levi be a househusband instead.

“You look good,” Eren said, pressing a brief kiss to the back of Levi’s head and peering hopefully at the skillet. “ _Pfannkuchen_?”

“ _Gaufres_. Sit your ass down and eat.” Levi rolled his eyes and turned back to the stove, ears bright pink, and Eren hid a snicker, allowing himself to be banished to the dining table while Levi followed with their plates and mugs.

Breakfast was quiet, with Eren downing some much needed caffeine while Levi nursed his own mug. It was a first day, for both of them, and the silence wasn’t just because of the early hour.

Especially not after what Eren had gone through.

“You’ll do great.” Levi finally spoke up, storm-blue eyes piercing through him, and of course Levi was the one who brought it up first. “Don’t think about the past. It’s behind you now Eren, you’re not the same person you were before.”

“How can you say that?” Eren was staring at his mug, at the dregs that remained at the bottom. He knew, he knew Levi was right, that he had made up for his mistakes when he was younger, but the fear, the worry was there.

“I know that, I’ve tried so hard, but what if I make another mistake? Levi,” he looked up. “I can’t afford to fuck up again.”

Because this was Eren’s last chance, but both of them didn’t have to say it out loud.

“You won’t.” Levi said with quiet certainty, reaching out to hold his hand, and it was this, the silent strength and confidence in him that made Eren fall in love with him, because if he couldn’t believe in himself, then Levi would believe for both of them. “You’re not the perpetually angry kid I met a year ago. You’re better now, and I even married you, so don’t insult my taste in men, brat.”

“And you’re still a dick,” Eren chuckled, squeezing back, and just like that, everything in the world was right again. Minutes ticked slowly, the couple enjoying the quiet tranquility of their morning, until it was time.

“By the way, I have to leave early.” Levi glanced at the wall clock. “First day, meetings, expectations, you know, the usual shit.”

And because Eren did know, he nodded and started to clean up the table while Levi grabbed the blazer thrown over the chair and put it on quickly. “I’ll text you,” Levi muttered, gathering his things: briefcase, wallet, phone, car keys. Eren dumped all the dishes in the sink, following the older man to the foyer. “Sorry, I’ll take you there another time.” Eren bent his head down just in time to receive the distracted kiss from his husband, who was already standing in front of the door.

“It’s fine, go already.” Eren laughed softly against Levi’s lips, because he wasn’t the only one nervous about the first day. “Good luck, you’ll be fine.”

“I wish,” Levi muttered back, but with a final clip to his wristwatch, he was finally ready to go. “Meet up with Mikasa and the Aryan coconut later.”

“His name is Armin,” Eren grinned wider and opened the front door, leaning against the doorway, watching his husband walk away to the dark-colored sedan. “See you later! Have a good day a work, _Schatz_!” He waved cheekily.

“You’re a fucking brat,” Levi yelled back, but the engine was starting, and Eren was sure that it was said out of sincere affection. Eren watched as the car eventually disappeared in the distance, before heading inside to finish cleaning up.

Cleaning up the kitchen was quick work, mainly because his husband had a mild case of OCD, but once all utensils was washed, cleaned, and placed properly, Eren also got ready to go, making sure that everything was off and secure before locking the door and heading off.

Whether he was ready or not, he couldn’t be late.

* * *

“Eren! Over here!” Armin called, waving a hand enthusiastically to call him over, and Eren smiled, jogging over to them quickly. “Hi guys, morning.”

“Good morning Eren.” Mikasa smiled back at him and they shared a look over Armin’s head. Mikasa being Levi’s first cousin made them in-laws and granted them a closer relationship, despite Eren being older than her. They would have been close anyway, with what happened three years ago, but the family connection was always nice.

“Ah, can’t believe it’s already the first day.” Eren stretched, messenger bag slung casually over his shoulder. “It’s been a long time since I wore something like this.” He wasn’t used to it, being dressed so properly. The tie was tight around his neck, the blazer constricting his torso. The sun was warm against his back, fully risen now, their destination steadily getting closer by the minute.

“You’ll get used to it. Armin’s been so excited about going back.” Mikasa said, adjusting the red scarf around her neck. It was a gift from him, and she had never been without it since. “What about you, Eren?”

“As okay as I can be, being in a new neighborhood and new school and all.” Eren answered, dry as the Sahara, and Mikasa wasn’t able to stop the small laugh from escaping her lips. “We just finished moving in a couple of weeks ago. We’re still adjusting.”

Mikasa nodded in understanding and didn’t pay attention to the shift in pronouns, and for that Eren was grateful. “You’ll like it here, I think. It’s far away from Shinganshina.” Both of them paused, to sink a little into past memories, until Eren shook his head to clear everything out. This was a fresh start, no use wallowing in things he couldn’t change.

“If you need any help, you know you can just ask.” Mikasa finally said, and Eren smiled.

“I know. Thanks.” The rest of the walk dwindled into light conversation, catching up with each other's summer stories, and finally, they arrived. 

The first day of school always sucked.

Eren sighed as they passed through the gates of Trost Academy, found in its namesake town, Trost, a small quaint town built on the gentling slopes of the Swiss Alps. It was a private academy with centuries of history, the old, grandiose building looming above them. It was his senior year, and frankly, he couldn’t wait to graduate and finally go to a university. Well, it was his fault for not graduating on time, but as Eren glanced at Armin’s excited expression and Mikasa’s serene smile, he figured that waiting three years was damn well worth it.

It brought him to Levi, after all.

Checking the board for the class distributions, Eren was fiercely glad that he was virtually unknown in this new town and all the people he knew had already graduated. He didn’t need the rumors to start, didn’t need another catalyst to screw everything up again. Last chance, the words rang clearly in his mind, and he didn’t intend to waste it.

“What’s your class?” He asked Armin, after finding his name and classroom. Armin turned to him, eyes so bright that Eren couldn’t help the rush of fondness at the sight.  

Saving Armin three years ago was the best decision he had ever made in his entire life.

“We’re in the same class! Too bad Mikasa isn’t.” Armin frowned, and Eren chuckled, ruffling the blond hair. “It’s fine, we can meet other people too, you know.” Maybe it was because Eren had been through more than anyone else, and the fact that he was literally 2-3 years older than any student on campus, that he wasn’t as thrilled as his schoolmates were for their last year of high school. Honestly, Eren just wanted the entire thing to be _over_.

Armin, because this had been his school longer than Eren had stepped in it, naturally led the way. “Eren, this way.” After saying their goodbyes to Mikasa, they found their classroom on the third floor.

“Sasha! Connie!” Armin said, and Eren took a step back as the smaller blond was literally bowled over by the enthusiastic duo, babbling their greetings. They were more Armin’s friends than his, his own group literally separated from each other due to being in university. Eren recognized them, fleetingly, in the rare moments he managed to visit Armin in between house-moving, but he wasn't close to any of them. He had received his texts already, ranging from ‘Good luck on your first day!’ (Reiner) to ‘What does it feel like attending a daycare center? (Ymir). His own asshole friends aside, Eren did feel a little detached from everyone else, although he was relieved that he didn’t have to go through the hellish last year of high school alone.

He found his seat, at the very back where less people were likely to annoy him. More students were coming in, he did arrive pretty early, after all. Eren sighed, leaning back on his seat and looking up at the ceiling.

He had to do well. He had to graduate and not get into any more trouble. Being in juvenile detention for two years was not a happy experience, and now that he was legal with a pseudo-criminal record, he needed to be more careful. Of course, he didn’t regret the decision that caused him to be delayed in school in the first place, but he didn’t want to disappoint a lot of people.

One year. Ten months. Eren could do this. He had friends here, even though small in number, his family had his back, and most importantly, he had a husband waiting for him to come home. The bell sounded and Eren straightened out, just in time to see the classroom door open.

At once, the class broke out in murmurs.

“Headmaster Zackley?” Eren asked in an undertone to Armin, whose eyes were already narrowed in thought. It was strange, usually the homeroom teacher was the one who came in during the first day to meet their class and do the usual introductions.

“New teacher, maybe?” Armin hazarded, craning his head a little to take a better look. “It’s rare to get someone new here, you know?”

“--the class you’ll be looking after.” The Headmaster was saying, looking behind him, and Eren couldn’t see the teacher, not yet, but they were hovering just outside the door frame. “They’re a senior class, which I’m sure you know, but I’m confident you can handle the workload. Everyone,” Darius Zackley turned to the class, who immediately straightened their backs and quietened. “Due to Miss Ilse retiring due to family matters, you’ll be having a new homeroom and English teacher for this year. Please come in.” He gestured, and the teacher took a step forward.

Eren fell off from his chair in literal shock as the class females started tittering, mouth hanging in complete and utter disbelief. His tailbone was aching, his arms were shaking, and his eyes were about to fall out of his skull.

_It couldn’t be._

“Eren? You okay?” Armin was whispering urgently, trying pulling him upright, and Eren would’ve followed along willingly if his knees weren’t feeling so weak.

“Good morning,” Sleek, black hair, narrow eyes, handsome features so painfully familiar Eren’s eyes couldn’t believe what they were seeing. “My name is Levi Ackerman, and I’ll be your homeroom teacher starting today.”

_What the hell was his husband doing here?!_

For a moment, the class was abuzz with conversation, until the Headmaster loudly cleared his throat to settle everyone down again.

“There you have it,” Zackley said. “Mr. Ackerman, I trust that you’ll take it from here?”

“Of course,” Levi nodded, and Eren was still speechless, still watching his husband take control of the class effortlessly as the headmaster left. It was still unreal for him, to see his husband right in front of his eyes, not used to the polite, distant demeanor he had right now. Sure, Levi wasn’t the warmest of people, but with Eren he was always relaxed, tension almost non-existent on his shoulders. Now Levi was rigid, almost frozen, even if his body language was casual enough. Eren managed to sit again, but he couldn’t coordinate his limbs to move, shocked into a complete stupor.

“So,” the older man turned to the class again, “like I said, I’ll be taking care of you guys until you graduate. You can call me Mr. Levi, Mr. Ackerman’s my father.” He said with all the dryness of summer, and the class tittered. Eren managed to unhinge his jaw, but his eyes were tracking the other man’s every move. Levi moved to the front of his desk, leaning against it to survey his class. “Since this is the first day I don’t feel up to discussing any school requirements for today, and we can just take the time to get to know each other. So,” he waved a careless hand. “Ask away.”

The class exchanged glances. “Mr. Levi?” One of Eren’s classmates raised her hand, Mina, if he remembered her name correctly. “Can I ask a personal question?”

“Shoot.” Levi nodded at her.

“Are you married?”

At that, Eren’s heart fell out of his chest. What would Levi say? Did the faculty know? Did the _Headmaster_ know? The only people who knew of their marriage was their family and close friends, Mikasa included. That must be the reason Mikasa was in another class, Eren realized. Conflict of interest. Armin didn’t know, there really wasn’t any time for him to say anything, and Eren was fiercely glad that he didn't say anything. 

Would Levi deny their relationship?

“Whether I’m married or not isn’t relevant to the fact that I’ll be teaching you the English language.” Levi answered with all the sarcasm and wit allowed to a teacher, and as a result, the class cracked up, and Eren nearly sagged on the table in relief. Bullet dodged. The questions continued, but Eren’s brain was still processing the sensory overload, on what was happening right, and what will happen to him, to _them_ , in the future.

“So, I’ll be taking attendance, raise your hand when I call your name so I remember your face.” Levi managed from leaning on the desk to actually sitting on it, class sheet in hand as he quickly skimmed through the information.  “We’ll be stuck with each other for a year, might as well start now. Armin Arlert?” He looked up.

At his side, Armin gave a start before raising his hand. “A-Ah, present, sir!” The names rolled out in alphabetical order, most of them Eren didn’t know, but his husband went through his classmates with military precision, giving them a once-over once their hand was raised and ticking their name in the sheet.

Then it happened.

“Eren Jae--” Levi instantly stopped and his head snapped up, eyes quickly scanning through the seated heads. Instead of raising his hand, Eren slowly stood up, meeting the older man’s gaze straight on, and at once the emotions flickered in his husband’s eyes.

Shock. Familiarity. Questioning. Realization.

Eren could see Levi swallow, the slow bob of his Adam’s apple as their gazes met. “... Eren Jaeger.”

He didn’t answer, just stared at his husband long and hard, fists curling at the edge of the table, stormy sky and calm sea meeting once again, and sharing their infinity in a few, precious seconds.

“Present.”

Then Levi spoke.

“Is there something you wanted to say?”

The illusion shattered, and it almost hurt, the detached, brisk, professional way his husband addressed him, because Levi had never called him by his last name before. But Eren knew, they _both_ knew, that the questions would be later, in the space and privacy of their home. In there, they could scream at each other as loudly as they could and no one would give a fuck but them.

But there, inside the four walls of Eren’s classroom in Trost Academy, he was a student, his husband was his teacher, and that was the truth everyone knew.

“... No, sir.”

“Then please sit down, I still have the rest of your classmates to go to.” Levi said curtly, waving the class sheet and Eren, just as slowly, took his seat again, watching his husband intently as the other man followed through the roll call. Levi was itching to cuss him out, Eren could tell, with the way a vein in his temple throbbed, and his lips pursed. But he kept his neutral, if not politely interested, expression on as he called another name.

“Eren?” Armin was speaking to him, touching his arm in concern. “Are you okay? You look… rattled.”

“I’m okay.” Forcing himself to look away, Eren gave Armin a slight smile and tried to relax back into his seat, following his husband using the corner of his eye. A slow, deliberate breath.

“I’ll be okay.”

They were going to give each other hell for this later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I _know_ I should be working on finishing Biological Imperative, and hell, even The Titanic Wedding, but this has been playing around in my head for so long that I'm going to go crazy if I don't write it down. Basically, this is the love child of the Student/Teacher and Secret Relationship plot in a High School AU. Eren is 20 in this story, so yes, Levi can tap that ass legally. This is also unbeta'd, so excuse any grammar lapses and/or misspellings.
> 
> To clear things up, this is still set in the canon-towns, but in real-life Europe. Trost, as mentioned in the story, is situated in real life Switzerland, and yes, this means that the characters are going to be from different nationalities. I'm not from Europe, let me say this upfront, and I don't speak any European language (but I did do some lessons in German) so there might be (will be) inaccuracies in using the languages. I apologize beforehand if this happens, and feel free to correct me on the matter so it would be more accurate. 
> 
> Also, I have a [tumblr](http://equinoxsolstice.tumblr.com). Feel free to hit me up there.


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing Eren did the moment lunch came around was to literally hightail it out of the classroom, phone already in hand while ignoring Armin’s startled calls after him.

He needed answers. How it happened, why it happened, and why the hell did Levi not tell him anything. Communication was the core of a marriage, his mom always told him, and right now, Eren was plenty pissed off. It wasn’t safe for both of them to be in the same school, even worse because Levi was in a position of authority while being in an intimate relationship with him. While they both knew that Levi would never compromise his work for him (and believe him, Levi had done it so many times), other people might not see it that way.

The moment the warm sunlight hit his face his fingers were already unlocking the screen, hitting the speed dial on his keypad and pressing the phone to his ear.

 **[Schatz]**  
_Calling…_

One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Click.

_Bonjour, you’ve reached Levi Ackerman’s phone, leave a message and–_

“ _Scheiße_ ,” Eren swore, ending the call and trying again, to no avail. He knew that Levi rejected calls during work hours and only checked voicemails during breaks. But his husband wasn’t unreachable, and before he knew it, his fingers were opening his messages and already flying on the keypad.

**[Schatz]**

what the flying FUCK levi  
_12:07pm_

It wasn’t long before his phone buzzed with a reply.

**[Mari]**

We’ll talk later.  
_12:09pm_

Eren exhaled sharply, locking and pocketing his phone. _Later_ meant at home, and _talk_ meant an impending shouting match. It wasn’t often that they fought, usually because Eren was being an idiot and at fault, but right now Eren was pretty sure that he was in the right. Levi had no right to hide this from him; hell, he didn’t even know that Levi would be working in his school _at all_. He loved his husband, he really did, and he would never stop Levi from doing what he wanted, but in all the schools in Trost, hell, in Europe, why _his_? Trost Academy was the only school in the country who allowed his admission despite his juvenile record, albeit with very strict conditions. It was also private, removed from the world with a very elitist mindset; they didn’t care what past you had as long as you could afford to pay the fees. And because Eren’s family was relatively well-off (his father being a medical hospital director in Shinganshina, Germany) they were able to let him slide. Had he not married and moved into a house, he would probably be living in one of the in-campus dormitories like some of his classmates, Mikasa, for example.

Calm, Eren, he said to himself, taking a few, slow breaths. His temper wasn’t the best, and he couldn’t blow up on his first day. In times like these he’d usually call Levi to center himself, but considering that it was his husband giving him stress right now it wouldn’t be productive. His stomach rumbled, and with a resigned sigh, he turned back inside the building to the dining hall. Armin would be waiting, and he had to apologize for running out on him so quickly.

“Eren!” Armin was waving at him frantically, already seated at a table with several others.

“Thanks Armin. Sorry I skipped out, needed to call someone quickly.” Eren slid to his seat and instantly multiple pairs of eyes stared at him, which Eren ignored with ease. Being scrutinized was no big deal, he suffered much worse in detention. 

Armin just smiled in assurance. “No worries. Anyway, guys, this is Eren.” He happily introduced him to the group, and Eren was suddenly struck speechless when he saw just how _young_ they were. They were just teenagers, and maybe he didn’t have any right to talk, but they just looked so _innocent_ , practically babies compared to his reasonable real-world experiences. “He just moved here from Germany. Eren, these are my friends, and I think you’ll get along with them. Guys, be nice to him, okay?” Armin, bless his heart, always trying his best to make him have friends, like he owed Eren that much. Armin didn’t owe him anything; it was his choice to get involved when he could’ve easily walked away. Armin always looked at him like he was someone to be worshipped, and sometimes it made Eren feel uncomfortable, to be admired that sincerely.

But Armin was a good friend, a brilliant person, and who knew what would’ve happened to him if Eren didn’t do anything to help him back then.

“Hi, Eren! I’m Sasha! We’ve met before, right?” Sasha was the first to greet him with her thick Irish accent, already biting into a steamed potato, and Eren had to crack a smile. Sasha was eating too, the first time they met, and apparently it was a habit. How she could keep her figure was a mystery to him, however, and Eren silently commended her for it.

“Yeah, during summer, with… Connie?” He referred to Connie, who was seated beside Sasha, and the other boy beamed at him.

“I can’t believe you remember, man! That’s right, we were hanging out at Armin’s and you came around!” Connie raised a fist and Eren grinned, meeting the fist with his own, because it felt nice, to feel like he was a teenager again. Armin found good people in the two years Eren didn’t see him, and for that Eren was glad. “Welcome to the club!”

“Thanks.”

“You haven’t met Jean and Marco, right Eren?” Armin asked, gesturing to the two people also sitting with them and Eren nodded, finally turning his attention to the last people in the small group.

“Ciao! I’m Marco,” The brunet with the freckles smiled, and Eren liked him immediately. There was something inherently angelic about him, a kindness that only seemed to exist in inherently pure people. Eren had no doubt that Marco was as gentle as his smile was, someone that whose naiveté should be protected because shattering his innocence would mean that the world was beyond saving.

Jean, however, was a different story.

“Jean Kirschtein.” He said with a bored tone and nary a glance, which made Eren’s eyes narrow and Marco nudge at his side, chiding. “Jean, you’re being rude.”

Entitled. Arrogant. A typical rich boy who was bored with the world and who had no direction in life. It was difficult to try and like him, since he was Armin’s friend, and there must be _something_ good about him. But something about Jean was painfully familiar, the way his eyes slid past him without a care, slouching in his seat like he owned the world and expecting everyone to follow in his footsteps.

And that was when it came to him.

Jean was looking at him like Eren looked at other people before. It was a slap in the face to see an almost accurate reflection of how he was a few years ago, and Eren was fiercely glad that he was able to change for the better. Granted, it look his hard head a few beatings to get it (both literal and figurative), but he managed it. Before, if anyone talked to him in that way, they’d find themselves at the end of his fist in seconds.

Now, Eren knew better.

“Doesn’t matter Marco, I have no time for self-entitled bastards.” He assured Marco, and expected the loud slam of a hand on the table, as well as the loud scrape of the chair as Jean stood up threateningly. Eren wasn’t impressed.

“You wanna say that again, Jaeger?” Jean growled, and Eren smirked back.

“Why, are you offended, Horseface?” He really shouldn’t be doing this, he was older, and he was picking a fight with a goddamn _kid_ , for god’s sake. Jean reminded him of himself, and as Connie hid a cackle and Armin was slowly panicking, Eren figured Jean could use being taken down a peg or two, as well as a lesson in humility.

Before Jean could retort (either with his words or his fists, it was unclear which was going to be first), the tension was broken with the arrival of a new person in the form of his cousin-in-law, who placed a hand on Eren’s forearm, squeezing lightly in warning.

“Eren.” Mikasa said reprovingly, sitting down in the chair beside Eren, “you shouldn’t fight. You know that.” They exchanged a meaningful glance, Eren backing down at his family’s request, because Mikasa was right. He couldn’t afford to get into a scuffle now, not with Levi also in the school. Ackermans had the uncanny ability to call him out if he was starting to bullshit, and Mikasa wasn’t different from her cousin. She worried about him, not just because he was married to someone in her family, but because she also liked him as a person. He had the inkling that the Ackerman cousins made a pact to always look after him so he wouldn’t do anything idiotic, though he didn’t have concrete evidence. He softened, however, giving her an imperceptible nod that she caught quickly.

Levi. He had to think of Levi.

“You bastard!” Jean suddenly lunged forward and grabbed him by the collar, face red and expression enraged.

“What the hell is your problem?!” Eren yelled, clutching Jean by the arm and resisting the very strong urge to suplex him on the table, because what the hell, he didn’t do anything this time!

“I’m jealous, damn it!” And as the group instantly converged to pull them off each other, Eren finally realized, with resignation, that he was, completely and unequivocally, a high school student.

Because seriously, a fight on the first day of school?

Only him.

* * *

When Levi stepped into their home in the late afternoon, Eren was already there, dressed down and his anger simmering on the surface. He went home immediately despite the invites to hang out after school, stating errands as the reason, but he and his husband had an unfinished argument to go through and Eren didn’t want to sleep that night being angry at Levi. It lingered at the back of his mind all throughout the day, distracting him enough during his classes that he ended up borrowing Armin’s notes, apologizing profusely. Armin didn’t mind, never did, was happy enough to send him off with goodbyes and ‘see you tomorrow’s. Eren could only appreciate Armin’s complete and unquestioning trust in him before setting off, arriving at the house in a much earlier hour than usual.

His husband took one look at his expression and sighed, loosening his tie with one hand and handing his briefcase over to Eren. “Give me a minute. Then we’ll talk.”

Silently Eren received the bag and placed it in the study upstairs, hearing his husband move around in their bedroom next door. By the time Levi had changed clothes and was settling down, Eren had his arms crossed in front of his chest, waiting, as per his husband’s request.

Eren wasted no time in getting to his point. “Really, Levi?” He scowled at Levi, and to the older man’s credit, he didn’t argue back. “ _Trost Academy?_ Of all the schools in the country, why _mine_?”

“Okay,” Levi pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, putting up a finger. “First of all, I didn’t _know_ that I was going to teach your class. I applied for Trost, yes, but I didn’t expect to be given the post, or to be assigned to the high school division.”

“You also know that Trost is the only school that allowed me in! I know you applied to other schools too! You were supposed to start at Maria College!” Days, weeks of applying to different schools, only to receive a rejection letter every single damn time. It had gotten to the point of Eren considering to study overseas, as much as he disliked the idea. He had the resources, yes, but leaving his family, his husband… he wasn’t sure if he could do it. Levi even offered to go with him if that was the only option he had left. “What are we going to do if they found out that we’re married? Do they know? Should we tell them?”

“The worst they could do is to assign me to a different class, or division.” He exhaled a sharp breath, exasperated. “They can’t do anything even if they found out because we got married after you applied for admission. They still don’t know, but I’m planning to tell the Headmaster tomorrow.”

“If you tell anyone I’m going to be expelled! They’d think that I didn’t put it on file on purpose!” And that was the last thing Eren wanted to happen. “Why didn’t you tell me that you were going to Trost?!”

“Because I didn’t know until last night!” Levi snapped back. “The person who was supposed to be your homeroom teacher suddenly took leave and they needed to fill in the spot quickly, so I took it.”

“So you switched to my school instead? Transfer back to Maria. We can’t risk it, Levi.” Eren said shortly, and this time around, Levi narrowed his eyes at him, irises ice-blue. If he wasn’t immune to it already, Eren would be a pile of smoldering ashes right now.

“No. Trost is the best school in the country, and I’m not letting the opportunity pass by.” Levi shot back, standing up and facing him. “The semester has started and I’m not resigning. I can’t find another job this late in the school year. I have the curriculum planned out, this job is stable, the pay is good, and I’m not quitting because you’re terrified of being forced out of the closet. If you don’t like it, then you should’ve thought before you acted, then we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

As always, his husband knew where and when to cut deep. Using his past was a low blow, and they both knew it. “Did you _think_ I wanted to be in detention? That I was looking for a fight?! Well, _fick_ , because if I didn’t go to jail then we never would have met, would we?”

“Then fine! We won’t tell anyone about us! That’s what you want, isn’t it?”

They were at a standstill, breathing hard and glaring at each other. Eren could feel his fury rising, the way his vision was being tinged with red, the violent tremor of his hand as he clenched it tightly. He was acting like a brat, he knew, because Levi was right, Trost was the best school in Switzerland, maybe even in Europe. It was one of the reasons why they moved to Trost in the first place, apart from being Eren’s school. If he graduated in Trost, most universities would overlook his juvenile record and accept him freely. That Eren was accepted into Trost was a miracle in itself, though he had the long-standing suspicion that his father and his husband had something to do with that.

It could also go disastrously wrong. If they were found out, that a teacher was having a relationship with a student (albeit legal), it would be the death of Levi’s career and his own educational life. Levi could be arrested, even sentenced, his name ruined in the entire academic community. And if Levi resigned now, how would they live their everyday life? Levi wouldn’t be able to apply for any jobs so late and Eren wasn’t qualified for any (because he hadn’t finished high school). Even if they were living comfortably, they didn’t want to depend on their families, and Eren had inconvenienced his own enough.

Admitting their relationship was out of the question. Usually this would be the right solution, since there was a possibility of working out a compromise, but the fact that they didn’t update their civil status in the school’s official records was the problem. Levi might be forced to resign from his position instead, and Eren formally dismissed from any academic institution in the country. Since he was of legal age, he couldn’t claim the protection of being a minor despite still being a student (not that he was willing to), and looking at his name in any legal document would have his status as a married man now.

This was the only option they had. Eren could keep a secret. It would be the biggest and the most important secret of his entire life, but a secret was a secret, and secrets were meant to be hidden. He ran a hand over his face, distressed, body shaking as he tried not to grab the nearest object and hurl it at the wall. He had never hidden his feelings well, especially when it came to Levi. Now that they were married, Eren saw no reason why he couldn’t go out and wrap an arm around Levi’s shoulders, to turn his head and kiss Levi’s head affectionately.

Could he do it? Could he hide his feelings for the one he loved? To not touch him, to not look at him, and pretend that Levi didn’t mean as much to him as he did right now?

The footsteps were soft as they approached him. Here, in their bedroom, their scents mixed and combined; a source of comfort and security and Eren relished in it, was calmed by it. Slowly, gradually, a hand was on his cheek, a cool body coming close, the steady, calm presence of his husband soothing away the white-hot anger burning under his skin. Levi had always been cold to the touch, the ice to his fire, yin-yang, light-dark, heaven-earth. Whatever Levi was Eren was his direct opposite in all the ways possible, and only Levi could tame the monster that Eren could barely cage in himself.

“ _Je suis désolé,_ Eren. I know I’m asking a lot of you.” Levi said quietly, fingers splayed under his jaw, tucked around his neck, his other hand slipping down to curl around Eren’s waist. “Ten months. It’s only for ten months. Just for a few hours. In the end of the day, you’re still mine and I’m still yours.”

“I don’t want to hide us, Levi. It’s unfair.” Eren whispered, curling his hands around Levi’s waist in return, clinging tightly to the fabric of his shirt. Stop. Don’t do it. Take control. “ _Ich liebe dich, Schatz. Das kann ich unmöglich tun._ ” He said, helpless.

“Yes, you can. Do you think,” Levi inhaled a sharp breath, “that it’s easy for me as well? To hide you like I’m _ashamed_ of what we have?” He shook his head. “ _Non, mon mari.”_ His hand reached up and brushed Eren’s bangs away from his face, gentle and deliberate. “I didn’t marry you so I could keep you hidden in here. You’re my husband Eren Jaeger, and not once have I thought of regretting my decision. Give me a couple of years and I might though.” He said dryly.

“You’re an asshole,” Eren choked a laugh, because he was halfway into another fit and his husband a complete was cracking jokes. He pressed their foreheads together, standing in the small space they called their eternity. But he needed this, needed someone who didn’t take his shit and fought back when he lashed out, because he couldn’t bear it if he scared away his loved ones again. The fact that he already had it was something he still couldn’t believe, because he had the chance to become _better_.

He could still fix himself, and that was a hope he still clung on.

The capsules were in the bathroom, behind the mirror, but Eren didn’t need them today. Didn’t _want_ to need them, but they were a constant presence in his life now, if he wanted a semblance of peace.

They were silent, breathing each other’s scent, Levi a solid anchor until some of the tightness bled from Eren’s shoulders, until he felt like himself again.

“By the way,” Eren spoke into the raven-colored locks, hiding a small smile. Even without words, the argument was closed, compromise and peace reached in a matter of seconds. It was strange, that could already do this when it took some couples years, even decades, to reach this kind of instant understanding. It just goes to show how perfect they were for each other, though Eren didn’t say this out loud. “I almost got into a fight today.”

Levi’s head snapped up to look at him, narrowly avoiding clipping Eren’s chin in the process. “The fuck, with who?”

“Jean Kirschtein. He’s a brat, I called him Horseface, and he almost punched me.”

The way Levi looked at him then was a certainty that Eren was sleeping on the couch that night. “ _Eren Grisha Jaeger._ ”

“Don’t say my name like that, you sound like my mom!” Eren protested. _Um Gottes willen_ , he thought he had a husband, not a mother. Not that it stopped Levi from nagging him like his mom usually did. It was one of the reasons why Carla Jaeger agreed for her only son to get married early; he was getting married to a younger, albeit male, version of her. “I didn’t punch back, he started it!”

“If I see anything like that again I’m _taking him out._ ” It was said so viciously Eren stared at his husband, wondering if he should warn Kirschtein that he had to look over his shoulder for the next few days.

Levi rolled his eyes. “Don’t look at me like that, I meant to lecture him outside of class hours. _Mon Dieu_ , Eren.”

Eren laughed hysterically, already imagining how _that_ was going to go down. It still wasn’t okay, not by a long shot. He wasn’t happy with this, and Levi wasn’t either, but it was the best they could do, and Levi, as usual damn him, was right. In the end of the day, the people they were going home to and sleep in the bed in was with each other. He could work with that. “Bet you’re glad we didn’t take each other’s last names like we originally planned.”

“It’s only a matter of time. You’ll be an Ackerman once you graduate brat, and I’ll be damned if I don’t give you my last name.” Levi said, arms going up to hold Eren’s head steady, pressing a firm kiss to his lips. “So enjoy the last months of being a Jaeger.”

Eren grinned, despite himself.

“That’s if I don’t make you a Jaeger first.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another quick chapter because the inspiration for this fic is strong and I don't want to lose steam. Biological Imperative is getting written down as we speak, so expect an update for that one sooner rather than later. 
> 
> To clarify, Trost Academy is a boarding/international school. Its students/faculty are composed of people from different countries, to keep with the MultipleNationalities!SnK characters that I have in mind. Some of its population already live in Trost (such as Eren and Levi) and those who don't stay in in-campus dormitories, or share living quarters off-campus. The students are either filthy rich, extremely smart, have an academic/sports scholarship, or a combination of the mentioned factors. Sasha is Irish, Connie is Danish, Marco is Italian and Jean is French. Armin is English, Mikasa is French-Japanese. Eren is German, Turkish on his mom's side, and Levi is French with German ancestry, if you guys care enough to know. As for the language they use in talking to each other, let's just say they use an international European language that's not English. Other characters will appear soon enough in the next chapters.
> 
> Also, I won't be putting accents when the characters speak, because even if it feels authentic it's personally hard for me to juggle loads of characters speaking in a certain way and it's seriously annoying if it's overdone. For the sake of equality and uniformity, they'll be all speaking perfect, unaccented sentences.
> 
> In terms of endearments, Eren calls Levi _Schatz_ , literal meaning "Treasure" in German, the rough equivalent of "Sweetheart" in English (correct me if I'm wrong). Levi calls Eren _Mari_ , literally "Husband" in French, and it's quite formal. I was debating on whether I should have Levi call Eren _Mon mec/homme_ , meaning "My guy/man," which is informal French but _Mari_ sounds better and actually serves as a double purpose. As to what that purpose is will be revealed later on.
> 
> Idk, I just found the thought of them using endearments on each other as cute as fuck.
> 
> Also, I have a [tumblr](http://equinoxsolstice.tumblr.com).


	3. Chapter 3

By mutual agreement, they went to school separately starting the next day.

It was a pain, but in order to keep their secret they had to appear as complete strangers to each other, at least at first. It worked better than they initially thought; Levi needed to go to school earlier than usual to prepare for his classes and Eren couldn’t be assed to wake up the same time his husband did. The Academy was a thirty minute walk from their house, ten if you ran all the way, and Levi always drove the car. Levi however had to break his promise to Eren to drive him to school; it was too risky a move, and practicality was out of the options if they want to maintain the silence around their relationship.

Levi would wake up, get ready for the day, and prepare breakfast. After cooking Levi would wake Eren up, and both of them would eat together, Eren still in sleepwear and Levi in work attire. Levi would immediately drive to school, and Eren would clean everything up before getting ready, locking the house, and leaving for school as well.

Eren then would meet with Armin, who would be waiting by the front gates of Trost Academy with Mikasa, and they would enter the campus together. Mikasa didn’t need to wait for them as she lived in the campus, but she did roadwork every day and the gate was in the middle of her dormitory and the school building, so it worked out well for three of them.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

If Mikasa noticed Eren’s more subdued disposition, she didn’t say anything at first. However, her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed as she walked in step beside him, Armin at Eren’s other side and happily chattering away about the ocean documentary he watched last night.

“Armin doesn’t know, does he?” She asked, voice almost dropping to a whisper, head tilted towards Eren’s cheek so he could hear her properly. “Have you told him?”

Eren shook his head, glancing at Armin quickly before turning his attention back to his cousin-in-law. He didn’t have to ask what Mikasa meant. “Don’t say anything to him, okay? We’re trying to keep it down low.”

“Did you know that he was going to work at the Academy?” The way Mikasa phrased it had Eren pausing, looking at her intently.

Slowly, eventually, everything _clicked_. “Wait… you _knew_?”

Mikasa blinked, which for her was an expressive show of surprise. “He didn’t tell you?”

For a moment, Eren saw his surroundings in a sudden, violent shade of dark red. His pulse raced, heat searing from his head to his face and down his body, until he felt being burned from the inside out. He clenched his hand, nails digging into the flesh of his palm, tight enough to break skin had Mikasa not gripped his wrist to bring him back to awareness. “Eren.”

It was his name, two simple syllables, but the sound of it was almost a conditioned response. He inhaled, sharp, cool, burning into his lungs, to clear the heated fog that covered his mind. Like Levi, Mikasa knew of his… tendencies, was in fact a witness to its devastating consequences. She didn’t know the exact extent of it, unlike Levi, but what she knew was enough to pull him back before he put his foot on the grave.

“He told me later.” Another deep breath, hands shaking as he fought for control. His fingers twitched, wanted to pull out his phone, press the speed dial to hear a familiar voice that he knew could soothe the Rouge inside him.  

“I didn’t mention it because I thought he would’ve told you.” Mikasa said, tone completely apologetic, and Eren waved her apology away, taking gulp after gulp of fresh air, feeling his shoulders loosen bit by bit. It wasn’t her fault that his husband had been a dick.  If anything, it was between them, and Mikasa shouldn’t take the brunt of his immediate anger. Not the pills. Anything but the pills. Eren didn’t want to go through the haze. Not when he could finally feel again.

“Don’t worry. We already talked about it.” And that’s right; they already fought and made up on the issue. Eren surprised himself by still having such a strong reaction. Still, he had a point. Even if it was necessary, he still didn’t like it. Or want it. He was more than halfway into calming himself down, stable enough to keep walking without wanting to obliterate everything on sight, but…

Maybe inside, he was still upset. At himself. At Levi. At the fucked up situation he was in right now.

Mikasa hummed, slowly considering. “… Want me to kick his ass?”

It startled a laugh out of him; the thought of Mikasa beating the shit out of her older cousin was hilarious. Not that Levi would allow himself to be pushed around (even being a delinquent would not mitigate the fact that between him and his husband, Levi was and always would be the better ass-kicker), but with the cousins belonging to a clan of fighters, it’d really be a sight to see. However, Mikasa was taller and Levi’s pseudo-sister, he would let her pummel him to the ground if it made both of them happy.

“No, no, it’s okay.” Tears were gathering in his eyes and Eren quickly wiped them away, breathless and flushed with happiness, anger fading away as quickly as it had appeared. “We already made up.” And just because, he unlocked his phone to send a quick text message to his _Schatz_ ; the bell hadn’t rung yet and they were still walking towards the building.

**[Schatz]**

be careful Mikas out for your blood  
_7:43am_

It took a few minutes for Levi to reply.

**[Mari]**

Putain Eren, don’t turn my family members against me.  
_7:48am_

He and Mikasa shared a quiet laugh when he showed her the reply, Mikasa openly smiling at the phone, Eren not hiding his affection towards the girl that would practically be his sister had they been in another life. Levi’s family (blood-related or otherwise) was inordinately fond of him for reasons he couldn’t quite follow; his mother-in-law was practically weeping in happiness the moment they announced their marriage a while back. While Eren was grateful they approved of him, they also tended to coddle and give him attention like he was a favorite toy; Eren had lost count on how many dinner arguments had started with this: ‘Levi’s had you for too long, it’s our turn now!’ What was worse was even within his family, Levi didn’t share (maybe except with Kuchel, his mom, but mothers were always special cases). But before Eren could defend himself (why did Levi always assume that he had something to do with it?)—

“Guys?”  Armin was looking at them strangely, the comprehension slowly lighting up in his eyes. Eren immediately took stock of how they the way he and Mikasa leaned towards each other, keeping their heads together and smiling like sharing some unknown secret—

Oh _no_.

“Armin, it’s not what—” Eren quickly interjected, but whatever conclusion the blond had made in his mind had him backing up immediately, waving his hands to keep them in their place. “No, it’s okay! I completely understand!” He was babbling now, completely wide-eyed and understanding and this was not what Eren needed _at all_. Mikasa was strangely silent, looking at him with the corner of her eye and the _traitor_ , Eren knew she was quietly laughing at his misery, maybe even planning to tell his husband about it. Levi had a horrible sense of humor and this would be right up his alley. “Sorry if I’m intruding on your private time, I’ll see you two later!”

“Armin, wait—!” Eren’s hand was already outstretched and—

Too late. He was gone.

Eren slowly turned his head to glare at his cousin-in-law, who already had her own phone in hand, quickly composing a message. Within a minute, his phone chimed with a new text.

**[Mari]**

Don’t cheat on me with my own cousin.  
_7:57am_

Eren groaned out loud, palm finding his face loudly and painfully, while Mikasa hid her quiet chuckles in her scarf, dark eyes twinkling. She patted him on the shoulder in consolation.

“Good luck with both of them.” With that, she went to her own classroom, leaving Eren in dismay and more than convinced to bang his head on the nearest wall several times.

Seriously, how was this his life?

* * *

“I think Hiana likes you,” Armin said sotto-voce later on, during lunch time. While the classes had been mostly discussions it had been eventful; slowly and surely Eren was getting used to paying attention, sitting in a desk to write down notes again. Two years behind bars had gotten him used to routine, and this was the kind of routine he could settle in happily. His teachers were all different and intriguing; he almost forgot how it felt, to be in school trying to absorb information and agonizing over tests instead of literally fighting for his right to walk outside in the streets freely. It was something he took for granted, before.

“Hm?” Eren was barely paying attention, absentmindedly twisting his wedding ring with his thumb as he went through the texts of his friends and family. As usual, his parents were happy but still concerned (for his husband, not him), in-laws equally if not more than so (for him this time), friends supportive if not being outright assholes (to both of them). Apparently Levi had already informed the first two of their situation while Eren was left to fill in for the latter. Understandably, his mother was the most worried out of all of them; Eren knew that it would take his husband a few more attempts of explaining and asking for forgiveness before Carla Jaeger would be fine with this set-up. Leaving that problem in his husband’s hands, Eren looked up from his phone to concentrate on what the blond was saying.

“Don’t look now, but she’s been looking at you ever since we came in. A bit behind us, on your right. You might be able to see her if you look at the corner of your eye.” Armin offered, biting into his sandwich, and out of plain curiosity Eren did look. Armin was right, as per usual, the aforementioned girl sitting with her own group of friends but every so often her gaze would stray to their table, in his direction. She was pretty enough, Eren supposed, with brown hair, almond-brown eyes and flawless skin, and she _wouldn't stop looking at him_.

Eren internally cringed. _This_ was the part of high school that he didn’t want to go through, the crushes and the hook-ups and the typical teenage drama. He was _twenty_ , for fuck’s sake, and a married man to boot. Single and a couple of years back he wouldn’t have minded. Honestly, he was pretty bad at these things. In fact, had Levi not become so exasperated with him and his ‘damned obliviousness’ and finally pulled on his collar to kiss him a few years ago, Eren would never had realized that his husband liked him that way at all.

Right now, he was furiously thinking of how he’ll be able to hide this apparent infatuation from his husband. Eren was never the type to stray but it was best to nip at the bud before it blossomed into something uncontrollable. Levi wasn’t the type to get jealous, or so he thought. Levi obsessed over their fairly large age gap more often than not; it was adorable how sometimes Levi would get snippy and scowly if he saw Eren talking to someone relatively pretty and looking younger than him, male or female. It didn’t matter that Levi looked young for his age and he took care of himself well; anyone closer to Eren’s age was immediate competition. It amused Eren, endeared him more to his husband, because what person didn’t like a little possessiveness every now and then?

It wasn’t as if it was one-sided; Eren was well aware of how rare of a catch his husband was. In fact, he should be the one jealous; he was barely an adult with a written criminal record, a bad influence as far as society was concerned. It wasn’t to the point of physically beating other people away with a stick, but the temptation was there, and it was easier to give in some days than not.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” He said with all the polite disinterest possible to be shown through voice, because he really hadn’t. Now that Armin mentioned it, it was definitely going to stay in his mind for the rest of the day. “Anyways Armin, I’m not really interested.”

At that, Armin scrutinized him closely, enough for it to be extremely uncomfortable “Eren… is it because you’re dating Mikasa? I mean, you’re together, right?”

Eren wasn’t able to stop himself from inhaling the bread through his windwipe. He choked, thumping his chest hard as he tried to dislodge the half-chewed clump in his throat.

Armin was standing up beside him immediately, smacking hard at his back to help him regain some much needed oxygen. “S-Sorry if I startled you!”

“ _Mein Gott_ , Armin, no, Christ, I’m not dating Mikasa!” Eren cried out, had to stop a revolted shudder at the very thought. Mikasa was beautiful; easily one of the most beautiful girls Eren had met in his life, inside and out, and any person would be damned lucky to have her as their girl. But 1) Eren was married, 2) Eren was married _to her cousin_ , 3) she was practically family to him, 4) she felt too much of a sister even if he wasn’t attached to anyone and 5) Levi would really _plot his murder_ if he even thought of touching her in a less platonic way. Not because Eren was married to him, but because Levi considered her as a younger sibling; he vetoed every single significant other Mikasa introduced to the family (for the record, it was one, and the person came in to the house in a relationship and exited it with none) and watched over her romantic entanglements like a lion with their cubs.

It rubbed off on Eren too, surprisingly. He judged potential suitors with a harsh eye and personally told Levi if there was someone interested in Mikasa. While it made her eyes roll at the overprotectiveness, Eren mostly got away with it by constantly reminding her that he was the one in a permanent, long-standing, legally binding relationship with someone else; anyone who wanted to be with her had to prove their worth. They had to go through him first.

And if they did get through him (with a knife or otherwise), heaven help them because it would be his husband following their heels, and Levi Ackerman wasn’t a merciful person.

“You’re not?” Armin’s brows furrowed as he looked at Eren disbelievingly. “But you’re so close, and considering what happened three years ago…”

Eren shook his head frantically. “I’m not dating her, and I never will. She’s really just a sister to me, and I know she feels the same way.” He answered firmly. “I’m not dating anyone.”  He wasn’t lying, Eren said to himself, but he still felt a twinge of guilt, and offered a quick, silent apology to his husband for lying about him. “I’m not interested in things like that. I…” _already have someone_ , it was on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it at the last moment. It was so hard, to not be proud, to keep his feelings to himself. He toyed with the ring on his finger, now fitting a little tighter but still worn perfectly on his hand. It was a plain platinum band, no stones or lines engraved save for the inside, where Levi’s name and their marriage date were tattooed in elegant, cursive script. It rested heavily at the top of his knuckle but he had gotten used to its weight, without it his hand felt ridiculously light and empty, as if he was missing another finger.

Finally, Armin seemed to believe him, suspicion clearing from his features. “It’s just that, well… you two look close, so…” He trailed off, shrugging uncomfortably.

Eren studied the younger boy intently. “Armin… are you _jealous_?” The dark flush that suddenly crossed his face had Eren in peals of laughter, because seriously, Armin was so _cute_ , cheeks puffed and utter mortification painted on his face.

“Stop being such a bloody jerk Eren, I don’t like Mikasa that way too!” Armin cried, smacking Eren in the arm. “I’m not jealous of you two! It’s… It’s just that if you two started dating I’ll just be a third wheel and—”

“Armin, don’t worry because that will never happen.” Eren snorted, shaking his head. “You’re my best friend and I’ll never leave you like that, okay? Mikasa will never replace you in my heart.” Because they were two different people occupying two different spaces in his heart, just as important as his husband, who occupied the biggest part of all. “Sure, Mikasa and I are close, but that’s because she’s practically family. Like us.”

“Eren…” Armin was looking at him with a grateful smile and it discomfited him, made him blush, remembering the secret he was hiding from the younger blond. Guilt writhed heavily in his stomach.

He would tell Armin eventually. He had to.

“Lunch’s about to be over, let’s go back,” he said hastily instead, standing up and gathering the discarded wrappers. The amused glance the younger gave him made the guilt settle more heavily, because Armin really had the wrong idea. Armin followed after, and together they took the stairs quickly, realizing they were cutting it close to the clock.

“Eren, hurry up, we’ll be late—”

“What are you two doing still outside?” A voice asked and the two of them turned around at once, only to be met with the unimpressed stare of their homeroom professor. “You two, go inside your classroom, lunch hour is going to end at any minute. Arlert.” Storm-grey irises slid over to him. Dilated. Warmed. “Jaeger.”

“Sir.” Eren and Armin said at the same time, the latter a little nervously, the former a little too comfortably to be considered a greeting to a teacher he hadn’t met before. Levi sent Eren a warning look which he ignored; he had learned, long ago, that pretending to be a stranger towards Levi was an impossibility he would never consider challenging.

“Get moving you two.” Another pointed look, and Armin scrambled across the corridor to their next class, Eren and Levi following shortly behind. “Can I ask what your next class is for the day, sir?” Eren asked casually, hands in his trouser pockets as they leisurely took their time through the halls, deserted now that most of the students were already inside, waiting for their teachers to arrive.

“English, what else do you expect?” Had it been more crowded Levi would’ve answered him more politely, as it was, it was only the two of them and no one to hear the teacher’s reply. “Get your ass in gear and go inside already, your Physics teacher’s waiting and you still have 3 hours to go before the end of the day. Also, don’t go home until you’ve chosen a club to join.”

Now _that_ was an interesting thing to say. “You memorized my class schedule? Even extra-curricular activities?” Eren asked with some incredulity and a lot more amusement, which the other didn’t dignify with a response, his ears slowly turning pink. This was… this was really freaking adorable and Eren almost couldn’t believe it. It had only been a few days and Eren wasn’t familiar with his class times yet. Levi, despite teaching multiple classes and looking over Eren’s own homeroom, had his schedule memorized down to the time it would finish and even the ways on how to receive extra credit. Levi couldn’t even lie to him, the magenta hue coloring the small of his nape the confirmation Eren had been looking for without words. Levi blushed very rarely, if ever, and Eren was pleased to know that he managed to fluster his husband, if only in a short while.

“Also, if a teacher’s talking like that to a student, wouldn’t that be bad for your image?” He added teasingly.

“Don’t make me give you extra homework. Now scram.” Levi eyes were (almost) permanently rolled upwards, placing a hand at Eren’s lower back to shove him faster through the corridor, face still a bit pink. Eren would bet his wedding ring that Levi’s hand lingered, actually went a little lower to be honest, and stayed in contact with his body until Eren was in front of his classroom, a hand already on the door to slide it open. “I don’t want to see your face until later this afternoon, you cheater. Also, leave Mikasa alone, she’s too good for the likes of you.”

Eren would have been offended if he wasn’t so thoroughly amused still. He caught Levi’s wrist as the older man was about to leave, pulling him close and bringing their hands together, weaving their fingers loosely. “Don’t worry about that, I’m a taken man and very happy with them.” He said, meeting Levi’s eyes straight while raising the other man’s hand, pressing his lips to the warmed metal resting on his husband’s finger. He was completely serious, and he knew Levi could feel it, with the way his fingers curled tighter, the way his irises seemed to darken with soft, unspoken affection. Their rings clinked silently as they touched, and he didn't care if they were in the school, didn't care if they were in a corridor and risked being discovered.

Being like this, with Levi, touching him… it had always felt right.        

Eren glanced at the clock. “And now I’m really going to be late. _Bis später, Mieze_.” Eren said cheekily, unlinking one of their hands so he could open the classroom door.

His last words shook the older man out of whatever stupor he was in, wrenching his hand away as if it was being held over an open flame. “ _Tu es un sale gosse, Mari._ ” Levi answered flatly, the red-hued glare directed towards Eren almost sent him roaring in laughter as he finally stepped inside the room, just in time for the afternoon bell to ring.

He would never let Levi live this down. Not for the next two weeks, minimum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration is really going well, so a new chapter for this story. The start of shenanigans ensue.
> 
> If you've noticed, Levi and Eren wear their wedding rings on different hands. Eren wears it on his right (I've edited it), Levi on his left, because that's how Germans and French people wear theirs normally (correct me if I'm wrong). Originally I thought of making their rings to be titanium, because, you know, Titan (ha!), but I think that having platinum rings suit them better, mainly because it's hella sturdy and expensive, if not heavy. Platinum rings can also be resized and resoldered, unlike titanium, and Levi seems to be practical to me in that way.
> 
> Eren's endearment that he said to Levi, _Meize_ , is informal slang for a pretty woman, in other words, a babe. Mikasa's also more outgoing and playful in this story because, unlike canon, her parents are very much alive and she doesn't have to cling to Eren as her personal sanity line, although she does owe him a lot, like in-canon. Armin's relationship with Eren here is still close but less deep. As to why it will be explained as the story goes on. 
> 
> To clarify Mikasa's exact relationship with Levi, Mikasa's father and Kuchel are siblings. Kuchel's the youngest, but she had a child early (resulting in Levi), and Mikasa's father married later on. The Ackerman cousins are twelve years apart.
> 
> Also, I have a [tumblr](http://equinoxsolstice.tumblr.com).


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